Day 64, Sunday 17th July.
9 weeks, 63 days, since that windy morning in Manhattan!
Still here, struggling on, but enjoying 75% of it. 25% is an unpleasant struggle against the elements when the fog is heavy, wind and waves have scary dimensions, wet and dampness a constant challenge and the body complains: fingers and bum presently, and occasional giddiness.
But it is also a huge nature experience, I love it when the sea is regular and blue, sun peeps out, whales and birds and big fish show up. And seeing this fairly simply designed boat perform well is also very satisfying – without that I would be stuck! It’s a professionally built improvement on the boats we built ourselves for the 1997 ARR, but when you see the new designs, “Fox II” is also very heavy and oldfashioned!
The important new features on the Rannoch design e.g. – two of their boats are out here just now – apart from being a lot lighter, is that the bow is the bigger section and catches the wind and they have auto-pilots inside the stern. Imagine the help at night in good tail-wind for a single-handler like I!
But Oliver Hicks did this course in a similar boat to mine, I think, in 2005, so there is a valid comparison. How am I doing, Diana?
Best news today: 15 nm till half-way! Light wind from WNW, rolling as we catch the swell still there from days of strong SW winds. My course for the finish is 71, but I will try to get further S, heading for 90-100.
Worst news today: Dense fog yet again! Visibility was down to 1/10 nm, now a little better. Please, I have so much to dry!!!!
Also water must still be very cold. Woke up 2.30 freezing and for the first time had the stove on just to heat up. Noticed it was difficult to light, probable lack of oxygen. Makes me wonder if I am getting high CO-levels in my blood explaining some of that giddiness?
But the consomme I made tasted like liquid heaven and I went back to some sort of sleep with warm hands again!
Yes, I will ventilate better when using the stove!
I was curious to see if there has been any discussion on the increasing congestion of both cars, buses and foot traffic at the entrance to BPC via Lberty Street? While trying to turn onto Liberty Street from the West Side HWY, I noticed that the light is literally less than 10 seconds which is a short amount of time for traffic to enter the neighborhood creating a dangerous backup of traffic near the taxi stand and Brookfield circle. Considering this is the only entrance into the neighborhood when traveling North (besides entering near the park and The Ritz) I would think there would be more thought behind managing the flow of traffic, hence longer lights?
Barbara Williams